Promise
by NeoMiniTails
Summary: Kyle learns what death really means. Giftfic for JasmineRaven


**Author's Note:** _Congratulations to JasmineRaven for being member of the Month in the Hostile Takeover forum. She is a wonderful mod and an even better writer and reviewer! Absolutely love her!_

 _This story is a gift for her._

 _I'm a bit nervous going into this story since its my first Kyle XY fanfic._

Kyle didn't know why, but he hated the words 'good' and 'bye' when they were put together. It was such a sad combination. It wasn't like rice and beans or a tub and thinking. When slammed together, those words flowed like magic; it made him happy.

But goodbye... that was such a melancholic thing to say. When the Trager family taught him the salutation and the motions for it, he could remember being happy that he learned something new and they were proud but in the back of his head, he wondered why it was necessary. He didn't like saying those two words to Amanda. It was proper and respectful, but most of the time, he wanted to say 'stay longer.' Or something to that notion... something that said going 'bye' wasn't 'good.'

And right now, as he stood in front of his mom, listening to the rhythm of her final heart beats, he really didn't want to say it. He'd never liked those words when put together, but at that moment, as he stared into pleading eyes of a woman who wanted only the best for him and the rest of the family, he asked God to make him remember how to formulate those words and say it with conviction.

He needed to give her peace in her final moments. Misses Trager, the woman who took him in, needed that. She needed to hear him say those two words and promise her that everything will be okay. Mom had to see him smile as she left this world. She wanted to go in peace.

She wanted this 'bye' to be a 'goodbye.'

"Kyle, please... smile for me." Her voice was weak. She was crying, and it was clear that she knew there was no hope for her. The light of the moon shined most brilliantly over her pale white skin, and her eyes looked brighter than they'd ever looked before. "I know I won't see them again, but tell them... t-tell them that I love every single one of them. Tell them that you saved me the day that I met you and I saved you. Please, Kyle, tell them how brave you were and you said goodbye to me for all of them."

"You're not going to die."

"You never were good at lying." She coughed up blood as tears cascaded down her eyes. "Kyle, smile for me. Be brave and smile for me. One last time. Smile for me so that I know that when you see Josh... you will help him. You will help my husband. Smile so that I know that when Lori is angry and asking why I had to go... that you'll be there to hug when I can't. And promise me... you'll be okay."

Kyle's hands shook. He'd seen his fair share of death. Nicole Trager explained the effects on close friends and family all the time. He read the pamphlets all the time and saw it on television. People cried about it in school. Death had always been around and yet... he didn't understand it until this moment.

He tried to smile but the pretense made his gut hurt and his heart drop. His hands trembled, and his knees felt like they shattered underneath him. His body felt like it was shutting down as he tried to suppress the dizziness setting in. "They're coming... Stephen is coming. He will find us! You'll be..." He closed his eyes and a vision of her grave being dug screamed and shouted at him to stop being a fool, to be logical and know that there's nothing they could do.

His knees gave in and he let out a guttural scream. Kyle grabbed onto Nicole Trager, holding onto the only mother he knew and loved more than anything in the world. Fear held him in contempt and love kept her close. Hope faded and all that was there was a bright moon, wet green grass, and a boy with his mother.

"Goodbye Kyle."

"Stay a bit longer, please..." Kyle whispered. His voice was barely audible. "I can't say those two words."

"Then say... I love you mom... I'll see you later. Just like when you leave for school."

"I love you mom... I'll see you later." He smiled as hard as he could as he held her cold body in his arms. He imagined all the times they said this salutation. It never held much meaning until now... when he realized that this was a promise that wouldn't come true.

"You're smiling. I can feel your warmth."

He nodded and listened to her heartbeat slow quietly.

"Thank you. I love you too... now be good." She patted his back gently as her breath slowly faded into the air. "See you soo..." The sound of her heart stopped and her hand slacked to her side.

"Mom..."

Nothing. The sound of crickets and blades of grass waving at the soft breeze in the wind greeted him.

Nothing left but a broken promise.

Now, he wished that he would've just said goodbye.

 **Please read and review!**


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